NXP has introduced the SAF8444, an automotive radar system-on-chip for L2 and L2+ advanced driver assistance systems. Operating across the 76–81 GHz radar band, the device combines radar sensing with embedded processing resources including Arm Cortex-A53 and Cortex-M7 cores.
The SAF8444 is a radar SoC used in front and corner radar systems. NXP lists adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection, and park assist among the target applications.
76–81 GHz Radar Platform
The SAF8444 is built on NXP's 28 nm RFCMOS radar technology and supports short-, medium-, and long-range radar sensing. The device targets next-generation front and corner radar designs and forms part of NXP's one-chip radar portfolio. According to NXP, the architecture is intended for L2 and L2+ ADAS deployments across a broad range of vehicle platforms.
On-Chip Processing Resources
The device integrates an Arm Cortex-A53 applications processor alongside an Arm Cortex-M7 real-time processor. NXP has also included its Single Processing Toolbox (SPT) radar accelerator with DSP support. The company says the SAF8444 supports perception-level processing on the radar sensor itself, allowing radar processing functions to be executed directly on the device. NXP also states that camera and radar data can be combined on the chip.
Radar Interference Mitigation
The SAF8444 incorporates a dual-threaded radar accelerator designed to support radar interference mitigation and anti-jamming algorithms. As more vehicles deploy multiple radar sensors, managing interference between systems has become an increasingly important aspect of radar design. NXP says the integrated accelerator supports operation in congested RF environments where multiple radar systems may be active simultaneously.
Development Ecosystem
The SAF8444 is supported by NXP's radar software portfolio, including SDKs, safety frameworks, security components, and development tools.
NXP also provides networking devices, power-management solutions, and radar algorithms that support angle estimation and sensor processing functions. The SAF8444 is currently in pre-production, with development support available for lead customers.
Learn more and read the original announcement at www.nxp.com
Technology Overview
The SAF8444 is a 76–81 GHz automotive radar SoC built on NXP's 28 nm RFCMOS technology. The device integrates Arm Cortex-A53 and Cortex-M7 processors alongside NXP's SPT radar accelerator and supports perception-level radar processing functions on the chip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What radar frequencies does the SAF8444 support?
The device operates across the 76–81 GHz automotive radar band.
Which ADAS functions does the SAF8444 target?
NXP lists adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection, and park assist among the intended applications.
What processors are integrated into the SAF8444?
The device combines an Arm Cortex-A53 applications processor, an Arm Cortex-M7 real-time processor, and NXP's Single Processing Toolbox radar accelerator.
You may also like
